A pedestrian walks past the bull statue near Wall Street and the New York Stock Exchange. Tourists remained calm after the authorities announced a heightened alert on the street. Photo by AFP
Security precautions at financial sites in New York City, northern New Jersey and Washington, D.C., were enhanced after the Department of Homeland Security raised the terror threat level for those areas to orange, or high. "Alarming" intelligence from multiple sources indicates that al Qaeda terrorists could be poised to strike financial institutions, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said. The potential targets include the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in Washington, Prudential Plaza in Newark, New Jersey, and the Citigroup Building and New York Stock Exchange in New York.